Toronto declares first-ever heat emergency

WebPosted Tue Aug 7 19:33:51 2001 TORONTO - Toronto has declared a two-day heat emergency as Canadians from the East Coast to the Prairies sweat their way through a stifling heat wave.

It's the first time the city has declared such an emergency.

Officials in Toronto say Tuesday's temperatures felt like 40 degrees, raising the odds that people could die from the excessive heat. A smog advisory has also been issued for southwestern Ontario from Toronto to Windsor.

"There's an over-95 per-cent chance there will be an increase in heat-related deaths and therefore we're urging people to take extra precautions," Liz Jansen of Toronto's public health department told CBC News.

Those without air conditioning are being offered a spot in four special "cooling centres" set up around the city. People are also being told to watch out for infants and young children, the elderly and the chronically ill who are vulnerable to heat stroke.

Take precautions, officials urge

Health officials are also advising people to take the following measures:

Drink lots of water and natural juices Avoid even moderate physical activity Avoid going out in the sun, and if you do wear a hat Stay in cool places such as shopping malls or libraries Take periodic baths or showers if no air conditioning is available People who are having difficulty breathing or are feeling faint should make sure someone's monitoring their condition in case they need to be hospitalized, Jansen said. Further record highs expected

A humidex advisory is also in effect in parts of New Brunswick. Temperatures in the Moncton area hit 34 degrees Monday, a record high. Fredericton and Miramichi also reached record levels.

FROM AUGUST 6, 2001: Canadians swelter from Alberta to Atlantic

The hot dry conditions have prompted authorities on Montreal's West Island to restrict water usage.

Environment Canada said Tuesday's high in Montreal could reach 33 degrees, breaking 1983's record high of 32.2 degrees.

The southern Prairies were also expecting highs of 33 degrees and southern B.C. temperatures were heading for 30.

The hot weather contributes to bug problems, such as the mountain pine beetle, which is being found further north in British Columbia and has passed over the Rockies into Alberta. The heat and drought across the Prairies encourage the spead of grasshoppers, which feast on crops.

People across the midwest and northeast in the United States will also be hit with more-than-30-degree weather this week.

Forecasters say they expect the heat wave to last for the next few days.

http://cbc.ca/cgi-bin/templates/view.cgi?category=Canada&story=/news/2001/08/07/heat_010807

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), August 07, 2001

Answers

The Twin Cities in Minnesota crushed the old record a couple days ago with 99 degrees and with the humidity it felt like 113. Unbelievable!! Nope, no signs of global warming at all. Its just an aberration like all the rest of the clues, like receding glaciers, thinning ice cap etc, etc, etc.

-- Guy Daley (guydaley1@netzero.net), August 07, 2001.